Coin operated vending machine



Sept-24, 1940 c. GABRn-:lfsEN 00; OPERTED VEND'ING MACHINE 'Filed nav. 2, 19:58 s shuts-sheet 1 Lum-MWF AW fa l fy/ENTQR TRNEYS Sept. 24, 1940. c. GABR'IELSEN 2,215,642`

COIN ERATED VENDING MACHINE u Find Nov.- 29, 195s s sheets-sheet 2 WVDITOR' resented sept. 24.

UNITED STATES COIN' OPERATED VENDING MACHINE christian Gebelsen, Belleville, N. J., assignm- Rowe Manufacturing Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 29, 1938, Serial No. 242,907

sclalms. (ciale-isi This invention relates to coin operated vending machines. '1,

AIt is an object of the invention to provide, in

a machine of the class indicated,article storingv and delivering mechanism of great reliability in operation, and at the same time to provide a machine in which -the parts are of simple character and generally may be made of stamped metal or the like, making for ease and economy of manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide article delivery means adapted to handling articles of different sizes and shapes.

With these and other objects which will appear in the following'full description in mind, the invention consists in the combinations, arrangements and details of parts now to be described in connectionl with the accompanying drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a front' elevation ofV a vending machine embodying the invention in a preferred form and intended for selling a plurality of different kinds of packages of chewing gum, mints, candy, or the like;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the lin 2-'2 o f Fig. 1 and on an enlarged scale;

Fig.v3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 oi' Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 and showing the coin control mechanism; e f' Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and showing also a portion-of the delivery apparatus adjacent to the coin control mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig; 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 4 and with certain parts removed or moved to show clearly the method of operation of the delivery mechanism; l

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but with certain parts removed so as to show certain locking mechanism; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged and'A exploded perspective of a locking member for preventing operation of delivery means when there are no articles in the machine to be' delivered by such means.

Cabinet construction I As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the cabinet or casing for the machine consists generally oi two parts,

vmeans of clips I6 and a screwvI'I.

the first comprising a front panel I, a top 2. and side walls 3 and being hingedly connected at 4 to the other half of the casing, which comprises a bottom 5, back 6, and interior side walls 1. I The top of the rear wall 6 is formed with a hori- 6 zontal ange bearing a locking projection 8 and thetop 2 of the other half of the casing is provided with a lock 9, having a catch III adapted to engage projection 8. Upon unlocking the lock 9, one half of the casing can be swung forwardly 10 and downwardly about the hinges 4 exposing the entire interior of the machine for loading, repairing and the like. .Y The parts I, 2 and 3 may advantageously be formed of a single piece of sheet metal and the l5 front I formed with apertures I I, I2 and I3 to accommodate, respectively, a label carrying the name of the manufacturer or operator, amirroror -the11ike, which may be; formed with clear glass portions I2 permitting a view of the contents of 20 the various article containers, and manually'- operable delivery means and chute for article delivery and'coin return. Formed in the front panel I also is a coin slot I4 for the insertion of the proper coin to operate the machine. 25

. If desired, the clear glass portions I2' may be" used to expose cards or labels I5, indicating. the

v merchandise in the various containers, such cards and mirror I2 being fastened Vto frontvpanel I by Article containers l and candies also retailing for ilve cents,- indicated at I9. y .l o

'Ille article containers for the'variouskinds of mechandise form, in effect, a single unit heldf together rearwardly of the machineby cross pieces 20, thev ends oi.' which are i'ormedinto angles 2| and amxed tothe rear wall 6- of the casing as by means of bolts 22. Toward the front of the machine these containers are fastened together as by means of cross piece 23.

' Each container is formed by a pair of vertical partitions 24 attached to the members 2n and 23, previously refered to, as by welding. Each partition 24 comprises a back flange 25 and a from aange 2s which serve to retain articles but without corrugations 21 or 28.

f The article container unit thus with the use of a minimum number of parts provides a number of vertical chutes or hoppers for containing the merchandise to be vended and also provides for spacing these chutes apart to give space for delivery mechanism about to be described.

n Delivery mechanism i Positioned below each of the hoppers is arotatable article ejector 38, each having at the rear a stub shaft or trunnion 3|, passing through and journaled in a support plate 32 alxed to the bottom 5 of the frame` of the machine, and carrying a pin 33 (Figs. 2 and 3). Between each of the pins 33 and a corresponding pin 34, mounted on the plate 32, is alspring 35, serving to bias the ejector 30 clockwise or toward the position of Figs. 3 and 4. The front of each of the ejectors is recessed to form a bushing 36 adapted to receive a stub shaft 31 mounted on a plate 38, which also serves to carry certainvlocking apparatus later to be described.

Each ejector has a generally cylindrical outer surface, adapted to support a column of articles within one of the chutes when in the position of Figs. 3 and 4, and is hollowed out as shown, having an oblong recess 39 adaptedl to receive an oblong package of gum or the like and the bottom of this recess being further hollowed out as at 39B to. form a cylindrical recess adapted to receive a gen-4 erally cylindrical package of mints or the like.

Each of these recesses is so positioned relative to the axis of rotation of the ejector as to receive a package of either cylindrical or oblong form when rotated through half a revolution and hold the same with its top at approximately the same height as the top of the ejector itself when in the position of Figs. 3 and 4. A half turn clockwise of an ejector thus permits the lowermost package of the associated stack to enter a-recess in the ejector, and a counter-clockwise turn back to starting position drops this package onto the subjacent inclined bottom 5 of the machine for delivery .to the customer through the front panel aperture I3. The same movement of return to starting position will again bring the ejector into supporting relation to the column of articles with.. in the associated chute.

A manually operable actuating mechanism is provided for each ejector and consists in a handle 48, attached toarockshaft 4| protruding through and-journaled in plate 38 as at 42 (Fig. 2'), and

operable by forward andreverse rotation between predetermined limits. The rear end of each shaft is formed with an oval projection 42' surmounted by arectangularkeyll (Fig. 9). Mounted on each shaft in turn, so as'to rest upon projection 42 and be held against rotation by -key 43, is a disc 44 provided to one side with gear teeth 45 and to the other with a lever or single tooth gear A4G, this dscbengheld on shaft 4I as by means of a screw 41.v Each of the ejectors Il, previously referred to, is formed with gear teeth 48 meshing with the teeth 4s and by means'of which turning., handle Il produces operative rotation of the ejector Il.

Ihe discs 44, in addition to providing driving connections between handles 48 and electors 3l serve to fasten handles 40 against axial movement, their forward surfaces abutting a lower rib 49 and a. plurality of upper ribs 66 formed on the plate 38 (Figs. 8 and 9).

The levers or teeth 46 Vserve to connect the delivery actuating mechanism with the coin control mechanism, later to be described, through a slidable lock bar or rack 5|, extending across the machine in back of plate 38 and adapted to slide along guides 52 projecting through slots 53 formed therein. The upper surface of lock bar 5| is formed with a series of abutments or teeth 54, engageable by the levers or teeth 46 previously referred to and is relieved between teeth so as to permit movement of the rack to the right without rotation of discs 44 but to prevent counter-clockwise rotation of discs 44 without corresponding movement of rack 5|. Clockwise rotation of rock shafts 4| is prevented by the formation of discs 44 and ejectors 3|), the teeth on each being of llmited circumferential extent so as to lock against rotation in this direction when the parts are in.

starting position. When one of the rock shafts 4| has been rotated partially or wholly in the forward (counter-clockwise) direction, a quick reverse and forward rotation of this shaft is prevented -by a second and oppositely facing series of abutments 54' on the lock bar 5|.

The ends of levers 46 describe, as the rock shafts 4| are rotated between definite limits, definite arcs. The abutments 54 are constructed so as to extend toward the rock shafts beyond the ends of the arcs described during forward rotation of the rock shafts, while the abutments 54' terminate short of the other ends of these arcs. By this means, any of the rock shafts 4| is put into driving engagement with the lock bar 5| throughout forward rotation 'of the shaft, and is also in driving engagement therewith during reverse rotation up to a predetermined point, and is thereafter disengaged. As is apparent, this arrangement provides for driving engagement of each shaft with the lock bar and prevents fraudulent repetition of operation through sudden movement, and at the same time permits operation of the lock bar by any ,rock shaft without movement of the remainderof said shafts.

handles are in starting position andthe projections 42 consequently disposed withtheir longer dimension vertical there issuflicient DI between slides 65 and projections 42' to` permit operative rotation of any of the'handles 48. Rotation of one'ofthesehandlthroushilowillresultin bringing the projection 42' upon its shaft to horizontal position (Fig. 9, to the left) and spreading the two adjacent slides 6I apart. Under such conditions no other handle can be turned more than a fraciionofa turn (Elg; 9, to the right),

the play between slides having been taken up by rotation of the first mentioned handle 48. Complete operative rotationof' the 'handle 48, through nearly wi11 bring its projection 46 almost into vertical position, restoring the play between slides 55." By thistime, however, the bar 5| (Fig. 4) will have been moved from its starting position sumciently so that eration of a handle 48, operation of other handles is prevented, either by locking between projections 40 and slides 55, or by locking between cams 48 and bar 5|.

Coin control mechanism As previously mentioned, the. coin control mechanism operates through bar 5I, which serves to connect it with the operating mechanism -previously described. This bar, as shown in Figi 4. is biased toward starting position -by a spring 68.

Aand is provided with a series of. notches 8i at one end with which a pawl 62, pivoted at 88 and biased toward vertical position by a spring 64, cooperates to form a ratchet of familiar type for preventing a partial movement and return of the delivery mechanism. The other end of the bar 5I is formed with a shoulder or hook 85, by means of which operation of the machine is prevented unless a proper coin or coins have been inserted in the machine.

rI'he coin control mechanism, which is' best shown in Figs. 3 and 5 to '1, may be advantageously formed as the lower portion of a coin selector. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, afcoin :t (in the embodiment shown, a nickel), inserted in the machine comes to rest between wall 10 and a support 1I, the latter being pivoted at 1I', biased toward coin supporting position by a spring 12- and stopped in this position'by a pin 13. The coin registering member employed is in the form of a toggle lever, pivoted at 14, having a short arm 15 on which is pivotally mounted at 16 a longer and coin engaging arm 11, the whole beingbiased toward retracted position (Fig. 5) by a spring 18 attached to the arm 11. As best shown in Fig. 6, arm 11 is formed with a coin engaging cam surface 18 and a hook 80. When no coin is in the machine protraction of arm 11 brings hook 80 into contact with a stop 8l stopping further movement of the toggle in the dotted line position of Fig. 7. 1t', however, a coin is in place, as

' in Figs. 5 to 7, protractionof arm 11 brings its cam surface 19 into contact with the coin and further movement cams this arm counter-clockwise suiliciently for hook to clear stop 8|, permitting a full motion of the toggle. The short arm 15 of the toggle is of generally triangular shape and positioned in the path of shoulder of bar 5i. In consequence, motion of bar 8| can take place only by protracting the toggle 15 to 11, and will be permitted only when a coin is in position as shown in Figs. 5 to '1.

The end of arm 11, during a full movement thereof, engages a projection 82 upon the coin support 1I, rotating this support suillciently to permit the coin to drop into a subjacent drawer or receptacle 83.

Arm 11 may also be employed to operate coin selector mechanism, and for this purpose a connecting rod 84 may be disposed in the path of arm 11, as shownin Figs. 5 and 6, so that arm 11 when moved will urge this arm upward. As will be readily understood. a coin selector Aoi any usual type may be employed, and will havegw chute to receive coins inserted in slot I4, direct ing proper coins into the position shown in Figs. 5 to 7, and through appropriate mechanism re- `jecting improper coins, directing them, for example, into a chute such as chute 85, and so onto the iloor 8 for return to the customer. Such selectors commonly include a so-called scavenger," comprising magnetic or mechanical devices which hold certain improper coins within the selector and also means for stripping such coins 5 and directing them into av chute, such as the chute A85, for return to the customer. Rod 84 may be employed for operating such a stripper. and it will be noted is positioned close to the end of arm 11 when the latter is in retracted position 10 so as to be operable by the same during such slight initial movement as can occur before hook 80 engages stop 8|. Irr consequence, rod 84 can be lifted by turning one of the handles 40 par tially, even when no coin is held upon support 1 i As is apparent the coin holding and engaging parts which constitute the coin control are part of a separate unit, removable from the machine without affecting the other mechanism, and requiring only that arm 15 -be properly disposed in 20 the path of projection 65 to be operatively related to the remaining mechanism.

Locking device for empty chutes As best shown in. Figs. 2 and 3, each of the 25 electors 38 is formed with two rectangular depressions 88 and with two corresponding notches 81. A locking member 88 is provided, having projections 88 adapted to seat in depressions 88 and otherwise dimensioned so as to rest upon 30 the top-of a column of articles and slide down as the column is depleted.

When no articles remain in a column, projections 89 of the associated device 88 will enter depressions 88 upon the associated ejector 88 preventing rotation thereof. During ejection of the last article in a column the ejector 30 will assume a position such as shown in Fig. 8 (left hand) and locking device 88 (shown in Figs. 2 and 3) will rest upon the top of the article within 40 the ejector. In such circumstances, as the ejector rotates device 88 may descend slightly, and notches 81 upon the ejector provide clearance for projections 88 should this occur. Upon return of the ejector to starting position (Fig. 4' device 88 45 will descend so that projections 89 enter depressions 88 preventing operation of this ejector. To seat thedevic'es securely at all times, Whether o'n a package or-an ejector, they are formed with projections. 90 located at their ends and extendit()V ing across their width. Opposite projections 90, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, ejectors 80 are reduced or flattened to accommodate these end projections and permit projections 89 to enter depressions 88. Locking devices 88 are advantageously 55 formed in two parts, 88 and 88", as shown in Fig. l0, the two parts having a. frictional t and forming a box within which a weight may be placed, ii desired. Attached to the upper part, 88", is a strap spring 8|, slightly longer than de- 50 vice 88, and positioned to engage ilanges 25 and 28. As device 88 descends, spring 9| will bow as shown in Fig. 1, permitting downward movement of the device 88. Spring 8i, however, will prevent upward movement, which otherwise might c5 occur, for example. during movement of the whole machine andv which might result in projections 89 becoming unseated, so that a later attempt to operate the associated ejector 30 would result in device 88 entering the ejector and jam- 70 ming the machine.

What is claimed is:

1. In av machine of the class described, and in combination, a'plurality of means for storing and delivering articles, actuating means for said de- 75 determined point and thereafter disengaging said shafts from said bar.

2. In a machine of the class described, and in combination, a plurality of means for storing and delivering articles, each said means comprising a rotatable member having a convex obverse face positioned for supporting a supply of articles and a concave reverse face shaped to hold an article of predetermined dimensions with its outer surface at a distance from the axis of rotation of said member substantially equal to that of said .fobverse surface, actuating means for said delivery means comprising a series of rock shafts operable manually and selectively by forward and reverse rotation between predetermined limits, a slidable lock bar for said rock shafts, means for engaging said shafts in driving relation with said bar throughout said forward rotation, and means for engaging said shafts in driving relation with said bar during said reverse rotation up to a predetermined point and thereafter disengaging said shafts from said bar.

3. In a machine of the class described, and ln combination, a plurality of means for storing and delivering articles, each said means comprising a rotatable member having a convex obverse face positioned for supporting a supply of articles and a concave reverse face shaped to hold any of a plurality of articles vof different predetermined dimensions with its outer surface at a distance from the axis of rotation of said member substantially equal to that of said obverse surface and comprising a lowerV portion for supporting a relatively deep and narrow article and upper supfor engaging said shafts in driving relation with said bar during said reverse rotation up` to a predetermined point and thereafter disengagingvsaid shafts from said bar. A .Y

4. In a machine of the class described, and in 5 combination, a plurality of means for storing and delivering articles, actuating means for said delivery means comprising a series of rock -shafts operable manually and selectively by forward and reverse rotation between predetermined limits, and locking means for said rock shafts comprising a lever mounted upon each said shaft vfor rotation therewith, and a slidable lock bar having a series of recesses spaced forregistry with said levers, a series of abutments to one side of said '15 recesses positioned for driving engagement by said levers and extending toward said shafts beyond the limit of movement of said levers, anda second series of abutments tothe other side of said recesses positioned for driving engagement by saidy levers and terminating inthe direction of said shafts short of the limit of movement. of said levers. 1

5. In a machine of the class described, and in combination, a plurality of means for storing and delivering articles, actuating meansfor said delivery mean's comprising a series of rock shafts operable manually and selectively by forward and reverse rotation between predetermined limits, locking means for said rock shafts comprising a lever mounted upon each said shaft for rotation therewith, and a slidable lock bar having a series of recesses spaced for registry with said levers, a series of abutments to one side of'said recesses positioned for driving engagement by said levers and extending toward said shafts beyond the limit of movement of said levers, and a second series of abutments to the other side of said recesses positioned for driving engagement by said levers and terminating in the direction of said shafts short of the limit of movement of said levers, and further locking means for said rock shafts comprising a cam mounted upon eachof said shafts for rotation therewith, a plurality of slides engageable by said cams for movement thereby to prevent operable rotation of the remainder of said shafts upon rotation of any one of them.

CHRISTIAN GABRIEISEN. o

. CERTIFICATE oF` c'oRRECTIoN.

- Peteht Ne. '2,215,6II2.' september- 2h, 191m.

i CHRISTIAN GABRIELSEN. ,l A Ihie hereby eertnied that errer. eppee1 e in 'the primed specification n of tl-Ieabove mnhbered patient requri'lg' correction as' follows: Page 1|., first co11mm,' line-7148, claim 5,'. forv the .word "far" read d--bar---g and that the eid Iett'ere. 'Recent eheum be reed wi'h this eerreetien @heiem that the -sa'me may conform #o the 'Tec-omni 4ofi' `the case nthe Patent Office.

signed and sealed this 22nd dey ef voctober-,'11, D. 191m.

- Henry Vgn Ar'sdale, (Seal).- Acting Commissioner of patents, 

